Conjunctival rhinosporidiosis mimicking pyogenic granuloma: A case report

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by an infection with the sporulating bacterium rhinosporidium seeberi. It mostly affects the nose and nasopharynx mucous membranes, but it can also affect the conjunctiva uncommonly. Ocular rhinosporidiosis is most commonly shown as a polypoid tumor in the palpebral conjunctiva. It affects people of all ages and genders. This case is important because there are few case reports in the world, and it is the second case to be reported from Ethiopia.

A 14-year-old boy presented with painless, reddish-pink, fleshy mass on the left eye for 8 months duration. The patient was diagnosed with pyogenic granuloma clinically and had an excisional biopsy of the lesion. Conjunctival rhinosporidiosis was diagnosed histopathologically.

Rhinosporidiosis is a granulomatous infection that affects the mucosal membranes of the nose, mouth, eyes, genitalia, and the rectal mucosa caused by rhinosporidium seeber, an aquatic protistan parasite. Histopathology on biopsied or resected tissues allows for a definitive diagnosis of rhinosporidiosis as well as the identification of the pathogen in various stages. This case was confirmed to be conjunctival rhinosporidiosis.

In terms of clinical appearance, conjunctival rhinosporidiosis resembles pyogenic granuloma. As a result, a thorough histopathologic study is essential for a correct diagnosis of this uncommon condition.